CQX was anxious to start the presentations, but I was still struggling to prevent the huge water cooler bottles from toppling over at the top of the staged auditorium. Eventually I took my seat and the event was underway.

In the breakout session CQX and I were meant to address the requirements of a set exercise. Instead we found a shaded spot under a deckchair on the terrace where I complained about the difficulties of conducting qualitative research with human subjects. ‘Programming and modelling is so much easier!’ I declared. My companion seemed less interested in the conversation and more interested in me.

Meanwhile I had an inkling that we were being observed. There were faces at the window of the main house.  By the time we returned to work there would be rumours of a new romantic relationship all over campus.